Such a front jaw is known from AT-PS 387 524. A pointer in this front jaw is provided as a mark formed on a sleeve biassed by a release spring. A scale is provided on a slide member fixedly connected to a pull rod. A slotted hole is provided in a section of the slide member, which section has the scale. The pointer is able to move along the slotted hole. The set value of the adjustment number is thereby constant independent of whether a ski shoe is or is not in the ski binding.
However, what is disadvantageous in this known embodiment is the fact that the scale, viewed in elevational direction, is spaced from a window inserted into a housing, which window often fogs up during use due to temperature fluctuations and thus prevents a satisfactory reading of the set value. The window, which is only schematically indicated in the mentioned reference, is included in the described manner in all products manufactured according to this patent.
Furthermore, a front jaw has become known which has a housing and a sleeve adjustable with respect to the housing and forming a pointer, with the housing having an essentially rectangular recess and in the recess a window, and having in the area of the recess a scale extending in transverse direction of the ski. The sleeve is simultaneously utilized as an abutment for the release spring. The tip of the shoe is thereby held by two sole holders rigidly connected with one another (see Salomon catalogue 90-91, Page 20).
The entire housing is pivoted about a vertical ski-fixed bolt during a release operation. The release spring is thereby loaded at its end surface facing the bolt. Since the sleeve is screwed into the housing, a relative movement does not take place between these structural parts. Due to this design of the front jaw, it is possible for the indicating device to consist of the sleeve acting as the pointer and of an angled scale on the housing.
If, however, a front jaw with two laterally outwardly swingable toggle levers is used, which toggle levers grip with their shorter lever arms behind a release plate loaded through a pull rod by a spring, a so-called release spring, with the pull rod being held at its other end in a longitudinally movable sleeve supported in the housing of the front jaw, and with the spring being supported at one end on a crosswall of the housing and at the other end on the sleeve, there occurs a movement of the sleeve in a longitudinal direction of the ski during insertion of the ski shoe into the front jaw. A value deviating from the set value is thus indicated on a scale mounted on the housing. Such a front jaw is published, for example, in DE-OS 37 20 440.
A further front jaw is shown in AT-PS 338 154, in which the scale, however, is not arranged fixed to the housing, but on a movable structural part. This front jaw is further removed from the already discussed state of the art.
Similarly acting front jaws are furthermore disclosed in the following references:
The front jaw according to EP-A2 0 331 886 has a housing in which a slide member is guided in longitudinal direction. The slide member is fixedly connected to a pull rod which is loaded by an adjustable release spring. A window with a dial is provided in the slide member. The shoulder of a sleeve is associated with the window, which sleeve is loaded by the release spring. The initial tension of the release spring can be changed with an adjusting nut.
A similar front jaw is shown in FR-OS 2 631 244 also mentioned in the search report. Here too is provided a slide member on the inside of a housing, which slide member is loaded by a release spring through a pull rod. The initial tension of the release spring can be changed by means of an adjusting nut resting on a sleeve. The strength of the initial tension can be read on a window of the slide member which carries a dial and in which a shoulder of the sleeve is guided.
Another type of an adjusting device is illustrated in FR-OS 2 234 019. The adjusting of the release spring is indicated in the exemplary embodiments described in this reference by a leaf spring, which is designed as a pointer. According to FIGS. 1 and 2 in this reference, the leaf spring is loaded in direction of its axis so that it is bent arch-like. Whereas, in the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the leaf spring is rivetted at one end to a housing. The leaf spring is bent by the shoulder of an adjusting screw which is used to adjust the initial tension of the release spring. Finally, the leaf spring is, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4, hingedly supported on a housing wall. An adjusting screw is provided in the wall of the housing laterally spaced from the bearing block, which screw is rotatably supported, however, secured against an axial movement, in the housing wall. This adjusting screw carries an axially adjustable ring, the one edge of which rests on the leaf spring. The leaf spring is further more under the influence of a pressure spring, the other end of which is anchored in the housing. The leaf spring carries a pointer at the end opposite the bearing block, which pointer is provided below a window in the housing. The operation of this embodiment corresponds approximately to FIG. 3 of this reference.